Design Wall Monday and Orca Bay Mystery Step 2

Lighter version

Sewing for Orca Bay Mystery Step 2 is underway using pink/purples instead of blues.  These strip squares  are fun to make and finish fast.  I am using tissue paper and it tears out so easily.  The only problem I had was that the first blocks I made I used darker purples and then I realized they might  be too dark next to my blue/neutral hourglass blocks from last week.  So I started to make them with lighter pinks and skipped the dark strips.  So now I am half way done in each of the two tones.  I think I will stop there and see what happens when I add the green in place of Bonnie's reds.  Then I will decide if I can use the darker blocks or if I should make more lighter ones.  Another mystery.

Darker version

Linking up with Design Wall Monday and Bonnie Hunter's Orca Bay Mystery page.  Last week was so much fun seeing how everyone was doing on their mystery and what else fellow quilters are working on.  I also found some new blogs that I am now following!  Please take a little time visit these sites and the links and you will not be disappointed.

Not much other quilting or piecing this past week because of Thanksgiving.  We enjoyed and hope you did too.

Debby Brown's Quilting

I did attend a machine quilting presentation at the Warwick Valley Quilters Guild meeting last Tuesday.  The speaker was Debby Brown who is my favorite quilters in the world!  She is my longarm quilting teacher (not just mine, she teaches many, many other quilters, too).  Her quilting is terrific and I have learned so much from her.  I know I wouldn't be where I am with my quilting without her lessons. She has a great blog where she posts instructional videos and other helpful information.  You can also find her videos on you tube.  Sorry the picture is not the best but it is the only one that turned out that day.

Thanks for stopping by,

Susan

Bonnie Hunter's Orca Bay Mystery

 I am a big fan of Bonnie's and the last two years I watched as everyone enjoyed her mysteries.  So this year I gathered my scraps and some other stash fabric and jumped right in.  I was home alone on Friday evening and had so much fun cutting and sewing.  Then I couldn't stop, so I worked every spare minute the rest of the weekend and finished all 224 units.  Can't wait until next weekend.

Today, I am linking up with Quiltville's Monday Mystery Link Up and Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday.   Please go over and look at what all the other busy quilters have been working on.

To show that I have been working on the quilting machine, too, here is a picture of what I worked on today for the Quilt Basket.

Thank you so much for visiting and letting me show and tell.

Susan

Some ripping and some sewing

Unquilting

 Yesterday, I tried a new freehand feather on one of my own quilts and didn't like how it was turning out ... so rip rip rip.  After I took it off the frame and started to tear it out, I glanced at it from a distance and realized it looked pretty good.  It think it would have helped to walk away, take a break, and look at it from a distance.   Next time. 

 I try not to be too critical of my work but when you are only a few inches from the stitches it sooo easy to see all imperfections.

I quilted this table runner recently for a gift.  No ripping out here.  

 I have been piecing a lot lately. And not unsewing.

Some "old" flying geese with added green strips to make a table topper.

Civil War Blocks

I hadn't worked on the Civil War Block of the Week  for months.  I decided to get back to it and make at least the ones I like until I have enough for a quilt.  

Mini Bookshelf
Idea from Don't Call Me Betsy

Now I think I will load the flying geese table topper and try the new feather pattern again.  I can't wait to get comfortable with it so I can offer it to customers.  

Thanks for visiting 

Susan

Veterans Day

A holiday to honor our military veterans.

Here are a few quilts I have made for Quilts of Valor.  

Stars of Hope

My daughter Emily took this picture.

A fun pieced back

Close up of loopy circle quilting

A Heart with Love

Thanks to Emily for this picture too.

Close up of back showing freehand swirl quilting

Donated at MQX (Machine Quilter's Expo) 2011

Freehand echoed hearts 

Hope you enjoyed these quilts while thinking of our veterans.

Susan

Design Wall Monday

I am happy to link to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times for the first time. 

All my NY Beauty blocks are finished!  I like this layout but I know I will be rearranging for a few days before I am satisfied.  I already see a few that are facing the wrong direction.   This was a fun project even though it was my first curved piecing.   I didn't worry too much about what fabrics went where as long as they didn't match too closely.  Of course that means some blocks look better than others.  I plan to hang this behind my quilting machine but now I have to decide how and when to quilt it.   Hopefully it won't be too long before I can show it all finished.

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by, especially to those who are following.

Susan

Small Blog Meet

Today, I joined November's Small Blog Meet at Lily's Quilts.  I know I will get to know a few  quilters who are new to blogging like me.  It's so interesting to see how everyone has their blog put together and how their individual personalities show in their writing and pictures, as well as their quilts. 

These are some pictures of customer quilts that I finished recently.

 

Joanne's 

Ethel's

 Quilt Basket 

And for myself, more NY Beauty Blocks, a few every day or so.  30 complete...6 to go.

 Thanks for visiting.  I hope you enjoy and come back again! 

Susan